1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for holding items to be cut, and deals more particularly with an improved apparatus capable of securely holding stacked materials for accurate, safe cross-cutting on a sliding table saw.
2. Description of the Invention
In the field of cutting material with table saws, there is typically a need to securely hold the material to be cut in a particular position to ensure the desired results. Also, it is important to avoid the need for the user to place a hand near the spinning saw blade. Current practice includes providing clamps that exert pressure against the work-piece so that it is forced either horizontally against a fence on the saw, or vertically against a table on the saw. Such clamps are typically integral with the saw, provide force in only one direction at a time, are difficult to attach and operate, and/or are not adapted for use with commonly used table saws. Also, such clamps are usually not designed for use with stacked materials. If the clamps do not allow use with stacked materials, multiple passes with the saw blade are required to bring about the same result as a single pass through the stacked materials. Consequently, stacking materials to be cut results in time savings and increased accuracy.
Several attempts have been made to provide improved means for holding materials to be cut by a saw. Several such attempts provide only horizontal pressure. U.S. Pat. No. 5,239,905, issued to Gail E. Dunn on Aug. 31, 1993, demonstrates a manual clamping mechanism for holding molding against the fence of a miter table, but does not provide means for creating vertical pressure necessary for holding stacked items. U.S. Pat. No. 5,103,704, issued to Dieter Spath, et al., on Apr. 14, 1992, shows a device that provides manual horizontal clamping pressure, but does not provide the vertical clamping pressure necessary for holding stacked items in place. U.S. Pat. No. 4,305,318, issued to Paul Stolzer on Dec. 15, 1981, provides a saw with hydraulically actuated clamping means for providing only horizontal clamping pressure to two sides of a work-piece. U.S. Pat. No. 4,080,858, issued to Paul Stolzer on Mar. 28, 1978, discloses a clamping arrangement that provides only manual horizontal pressure. U.S. Pat. No. 4,046,041, issued to Paul Stolzer on Sep. 6, 1977, shows a clamping-feeding mechanism in which a pair of clamping jaws operate under hydraulic pressure and are not adaptable to use with a sliding table saw.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,058,474, issued to Gerardo Herrera on Oct. 22, 1991, describes a fence attachment for providing adjustable placement of manual, vertical clamping pressure. U.S. Pat. No. 4,669,348, issued to Kurt Holder on Jun. 2, 1987, shows a saw with manual vertical clamping means, but the clamping means cannot simultaneously provide horizontal clamping pressure. U.S. Pat. No. 4,658,686, issued to Gary W. Woods on Apr. 21, 1987, shows a clamping device that is slidably inserted into a slot, but the device provides only manual, vertical clamping pressure.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,283,977, issued to William A. Batson on Aug. 18, 1981, discloses a manual clamping means for forcing a work-piece against a fence or support base, but not against both simultaneously.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,628,782, issued to Robert A. Park on Dec. 16, 1986, shows a guide-clamp device that is designed to create true cuts, but it is intended for use only with one item at a time and does not provide means for clamping the work-piece against the fence of a sliding table of a table saw. U.S. Pat. No. 3,872,760, issued to George J. Desnoyers, Jr., on Mar. 25, 1975, shows a clamping means for replicating the sawn dimensions of multiple items, but requires that the items be separately sawn, resulting in a multiplication of time required to complete the sawing, as compared to a device that allows sawing of stacked items. Also, it uses manual, rather than pneumatic clamping force. U.S. Pat. No. 3,851,557, issued Jean Vierstraete on Dec. 3, 1974, includes means for properly aligning a single item to be cut, but it does not have adjustable means for forcing a stack of items against the fence of a table saw. Also, it uses hydraulic, rather than pneumatic clamping force.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,693,489, issued to David R. Pearl on Sep. 26, 1972, discloses means to avoid movement of the clamp relative to the stacked materials, which movement can also result in misalignment of the stacked items. The Pearl invention includes a cutting means, and is not for use with independent cutting means.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.